Pages

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Mayo Clinic Campus - Gonda Bldg Art

As we've gone to various appointments and procedures throughout the Mayo Clinic Campus, we have been amazed at how much art is on display on every floor of every building. The Gonda Building is 21 floors of diagnostic and treatment facilities, the glass facade letting in lots of light to show off the gallery-like corridors. (Details about construction can be found here.) On this side, the street level lobby overlooks the subway level where it juts out to form an atrium, performance area and outdoor seating area. It's not unusual to hear musicians and vocalists providing impromptu concerts for clinic visitors, the sound wafting throughout the two levels. This view is from the upper floors of the Kahler Grande.

Gracing the end of this area is this 28 foot sculpture, "Man and Freedom" by Croatioan artist Ivan Mestrovik. It was completed in 1954 and originally hung on this wall exposed to the elements before the addition of the Gonda Building. From the street level lobby you can get a very closeup look. See a view down the atrium here.

There are multiple elevators - as you get off on each floor, a different piece of art installed in a glass case greets you. Mosaics, an Amish quilt, and this Uzbek textile are just some of the mediums represented.

Then as you move along the corridor, pedestals display beautiful works of glass like this one by Austrailan artist Klaus Moje.

The corridors also provide some quiet seating with a view. You might recognize the Plummer Building.

A view of the courtyard just outside the subway/street level atrium. Click on any picture for a larger view.

No comments:

About Me

I'm a native Idahoan who has finally returned home after many years of bouncing around the U.S. My "Idaho Beauty" trademark comes from a traditional quilt block name, appropriate for a homesick Idahoan in love with all aspects of quilting.
In another life there were motorcycles. Now I content myself with following motorcycle roadracing. When that abates for the winter, I switch to figure skating. I've never had a pair of skates on, but I often dreamed up elaborate programs in my mind. Ah youth...
I've always read, all kinds of things, fiction and non-fiction. I caught the bug for journaling from a HS English teacher, and the love of personal correspondence from my mother.
I've almost always had a dog. I'm currently without, but the last version was a smallish black lab with an attitude big enough to make up for her size. There was some confusion about who was the master in this house. She'll be hard to replace.
I appear to have a calling to create art, but I sometimes flounder in my quest. Thus I blog.